


It's Always You

by Quickspinner



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Endgame Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, F/M, Identity Reveal, Luka Couffaine Loves Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Pre-Relationship, lbscexchange2021
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-14 09:08:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29416140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Quickspinner/pseuds/Quickspinner
Summary: It made a horrible kind of sense, really, he thought numbly as he watched Ladybug’s body fly through the air. If he’d ever admitted the possibility to himself that out of the two million people in Paris, Ladybug could be among his relatively small circle of acquaintances, he would have picked her.
Relationships: Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 26
Kudos: 149
Collections: 2021 Exchange





	It's Always You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [KaijuusAndKryptids](https://archiveofourown.org/users/KaijuusAndKryptids/gifts).



> Written for KaijuusAndKryptids as part of the LBSC Secret Admirer Lukanette Exchange!
> 
> The prompt was Ladybug having her identity revealed by a villain and Viperion turning back time to prevent it from happening but he still remembers/knows her true identity, with a side of Luka/Viperion not crushing on Ladybug until after he knows who she is. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy it!!

It made a horrible kind of sense, really, he thought numbly as he watched Ladybug’s body fly through the air. If he’d ever admitted the possibility to himself that out of the two million people in Paris, Ladybug could be among his relatively small circle of acquaintances, he would have picked her. 

Time was a weird thing, and Luka—Viperion—knew that better than most. He knew that no matter how it felt to him when the girl who was Ladybug flew backward and tumbled across the concrete roof, her earrings firmly gripped in the akuma’s triumphant fist, time had not actually stopped. No matter how frozen he was in this moment, no matter that the dump of adrenaline in his veins slowed everything down to a crawl, the snake’s head on his bracelet was still ticking forward, one deliberate snick at a time, each tiny tick as loud as an explosion in his ears.

Time still seemed unnaturally slow as his eyes met Chat Noir’s over the body sprawled between them, and Chat flung out a hand. “Wait! Not yet! I need to—” 

Viperion wasn’t listening to him anymore, because the girl laying on the rooftop gasped, and reached a hand up to touch below her eyes, to touch the mask that wasn’t there anymore. “Viperion,” she begged, rolling over to look for him despite the scratches and scrapes. “Do it!” 

“WAIT—” Chat shouted again, starting forwards, but orders were orders, and time was still passing. 

Looking down into the desperate, familiar blue eyes staring up at him from the rooftop, Viperion lifted his wrist, and twisted the snake’s head back.

The same, he thought numbly. They were exactly the same. How had he never noticed before? The same eyes stared back at him, but this time from behind the red and black mask, and the eyes were expectant, not frightened, but still...they were the same. 

Viperion swallowed, trying to force down the lump in his throat and take some cleansing breaths. She was okay. She was okay, and her secret was still a secret...except to him. 

“Viperion?” she asked, leaning forward a little to look up into his face. One of her hands curled around his forearm and he realized he’d reached out to grip her shoulder. “Did you see something?”

“Yes,” he rasped, and glanced up at Chat over Ladybug’s head. The cat lifted his eyebrows and folded his arms. Viperion shook himself slightly. No time to think about all that now. He brought his mind back to what Ladybug needed to know, cleared his throat, and gave her the summary, leaving out exactly why he’d turned back time. 

It took two more resets to win the battle, so he knew Ladybug wouldn’t remember how discomposed he had been after the bad one. Still...he’d done some really stupid things, and he knew he was in for a lecture when she came to get his Miraculous back. His timer ran out a few blocks from home and he made the rest of the trip back to the boat on foot. 

Luka sat in the deck chair, hands folded between his knees, leg bouncing restlessly, and waited for her, as he tried to decide what to tell her.

“Sass,” he whispered, and the kwami landed on the knee that wasn’t bouncing. “I saw.”

“Yesss,” Sass agreed somberly. 

“What do I do now?” Luka leaned his elbows on his legs and brought his folded hands up in front of his mouth. “I have to tell her, don’t I? It puts her at risk. I have to tell her I know who she is.” 

“That isss one choiccce.” 

“You’re a real help,” Luka grumbled, and Sass raised his flipper hands and spread them. 

“There are many risssksss. You are not the first ssssnake to face such a problem. Thisss has happened before, many times. Sssome choose to tell. Sssome do not. Sssome turn out well, sssome do not. Each ssssituation is unique, as each holder is unique. I cannot advise you, my friend. You must do as your judgement and inssstinctsss direct you.”

Luka sighed, and dropped his head, running his fingers through his hair. _She makes these kinds of decisions every day_ , he realized. _She deals with this kind of pressure all the time, knowing that her choices have dire consequences. Poor Ladybug. Poor...Marinette._

There was a thud on the deck in front of him. Luka didn’t look up.

“You want to tell me what went on today?” Ladybug demanded, putting her hands on her hips. “I thought you’d learned better than to put yourself in danger like that.” 

“I’m not sure,” Luka muttered, dropping his hands and looking up at her. 

“What?” Ladybug blinked.

“I’m not sure if I want to tell you,” Luka sighed. “I don’t know if it’s something I should tell you or not.”

Ladybug regarded him for a moment, and then went to him and crouched down by his knee. “What’s going on, Luka?” she asked gently. “Why were you so determined to throw yourself in front of me today?” 

Luka sighed. “Because I don’t want you to get hurt.” 

Ladybug tilted her head slightly. “Why today more than other days? Did you see me get hurt?” She gestured vaguely at the bangle still on his wrist.

Luka thought of the pain and panic in Marinette’s eyes as she begged him to reset and nodded mutely. 

“But you fixed it,” Ladybug said, placing her hand on his knee. “I’m fine, Luka.”

He lifted a hand and placed it on her cheek. “For how long?” he asked quietly. “You do this so often, and I’m not...I can’t always be there.”

“I’ve made it this far,” Ladybug reminded him, putting a hand over his as her eyes searched his face. “What’s this really about, Luka? You’re holding something back.” 

“Always, with you,” Luka sighed, half to himself, and then realized what he was doing and pulled his hand back hurriedly. “I’m sorry, it’s just. You’re really amazing, you know that?” He shared a quick, sad smile with Sass, and slipped the bangle off, offering it to her. “I’ll be okay, Ladybug. I think I just need to process some things.” 

Ladybug took the bangle slowly, still looking at him. He smiled at her, and finally she smiled back, and stood up. “Okay. If you’re sure.” Luka nodded, and she finally turned away, and flung out her yoyo. 

Luka slumped back in his chair. “That’s exhausting,” he muttered, staring after her. “I don’t know how you do it.” 

He should...do something. Not play, that wasn’t enough, maybe...maybe run. Ride his bike. Something active, where he could think.

“Luka?”

He jumped, and looked up, and gawked. “Marinette?”

She smiled at him sheepishly from the top of the gangway. “Hi. I was, um—well I was supposed to be doing something in town but there was an akuma attack and it kind of totally ruined my schedule, and then I realized I was nearby and I thought...I thought maybe we could hang out? If you want to. Only if you want to!” She waved her hands. “I know I kind of showed up uninvited and if you don’t want to that’s totally okay—eep!” 

She cut off, because Luka had crossed the deck as she babbled, and wrapped his arms tightly around her. “Thanks for coming,” he murmured into her hair, voice thick. “I’m really...really glad to see you.”

Marinette had gone stiff, but she relaxed now, and brought her arms up to hug him back, patting him gently. “Uh...s-something on your mind?” she asked, and he had to smile.

“Yeah,” he said with a sigh. “Nothing I can talk about right now, but. Stuff.” He forced himself to let her go and straightened, though his hands lingered on her upper arms. “I was actually thinking about taking a bike ride. You up for it? Maybe a ride to the park and some ice cream or whatever when we get there? I think it would do me good to get out for a bit.”

“Sure, whatever you want,” Marinette smiled, and it was all Luka could do not to grab her and kiss her in that moment. An hour ago she was fighting an akuma with the fate of her team and the safety of the city on the line, and now she was here, trying to take care of him.

Instead he put a hand on her back and guided her back down the ramp to where he’d chained his bike up that morning. She smiled, as she always did, when he handed her the pink helmet he’d bought for her, and climbed on the bike behind him.

It was work, riding the bike with Marinette on the back, for all that she was slender. No wonder, he realized. She probably had a lot of muscle packed onto that small frame. And Marinette...Marinette tripped on air, and fell over for no reason, and always missed the bottom step because she had her head in the clouds and forgot how many there were, and Marinette…

Marinette soared between buildings, and backflipped over lasers, and dodged balls of...of akuma goo, and—

“Luka!” Marinette screeched, and he snapped back to reality, his hands clenching on his brakes just in time to keep them from riding straight into the street despite the light that had just changed. Marinette slammed into his back with a yelp and Luka put his foot down quickly, trying to twist back to see her and keep the bike balanced at the same time. 

“I’m so sorry,” he gasped. “Are you okay?” 

“Y-yeah, I’m fine,” she said behind her hands, but Luka could see her blinking back tears over the tips of her fingers. 

“I’m so sorry. Let’s sit down for a minute,” Luka said, and she made an affirmative noise, getting off the bike with one hand still over her face. Luka dismounted and walked it over to a bench. He guided Marinette down to a seat and then sat next to her, pulling her hands away and tilting up her chin so he could look at her. “You’re not bleeding,” he sighed with relief. “What hurts?”

“Nose,” Marinette said with a weak smile. “I hit your spine at just the wrong angle I guess. Just my luck.”

He had a highly inappropriate urge to laugh. “I’m sorry,” he said instead. “I should have been paying more attention, I’m so, so sorry.”

Marinette wrapped her hands around his and pulled them away. “I’m fine. It’s just a little bump. No big deal.” 

Luka sighed, and leaned forward, resting his forehead against hers. “You’re so brave,” he murmured. 

Marinette’s hands squeezed his. “Luka...you’re being really...odd...today. Are you sure you don’t want to tell me what’s going on? Or if not me, at least talk to...somebody.”

Luka sighed. “No. No, I think you’re right. I need to say it, and it needs to be to you.” He leaned back and smiled at her. “But probably not here. Let’s go on to the park, and try to find somewhere quiet.” He smiled weakly. “If you still trust me enough to get back on the bike.” 

“I always trust you,” Marinette replied instantly, and impulsively, he leaned forward and, bracing one hand against her head, pressed his lips to her forehead.

“Okay then,” he said, getting up and holding out a hand for her. “Let’s find somewhere we can talk.”

* * *

Marinette wasn’t at all surprised to see Luka standing at the bottom of the school steps, waiting for her. She’d come to expect it, actually, but that didn’t mean she was happy about it. Still, she went down to meet him, pouting only a little. He reached out a hand and steadied her when she nearly missed the bottom step, but she was too focused on why he was there to be embarrassed. “You don’t have to check on me after every—” Her eyes flicked to the crowd streaming down the stairs around them. “—exam.” 

Luka shrugged and gave her a not-very-apologetic smile. “Maybe eventually I won’t need to, but today, I do. I know how hard you’ve been...studying. Did you eat?” He pulled a package of cookies out of his pocket. 

“I live in a bakery, Luka, I’m not lacking for snacks,” Marinette scolded, but she took the package anyway and slipped it into her purse, ignoring the tiny squeal from within. She looked back at Luka and she couldn’t help softening a little at his worried expression. “I did eat and drink and I’m fine. A little tired, but no more than usual.” It felt surprisingly good to talk about it, actually, with someone who understood. She hadn’t admitted it to him but it was an immense relief that Luka knew her secret, even if he was still having a little difficulty coming to terms with it. 

“Okay,” Luka said, glancing up to nod to Juleka as she came out of the building. She just gave him a _why are you here, weirdo?_ look, and then rolled her eyes when she spotted Marinette. “Can I walk you home?” 

Marinette cocked her hip and gave him a look, folding her arms. “Because it’s so far.” 

“I’m sorry,” Luka said immediately, looking down. “I don’t have to, if I’m crowding you. I didn’t mean to—”

Marinette sighed gustily, and reached out to grab Luka’s arm. “Shut up and walk me home, Luka.” 

“Yes, ma’am,” he murmured, and Marinette couldn’t quite keep in her smile. He must have seen it, because she felt him relax. Marinette squeezed his arm slightly as they started walking. “It really wasn’t a bad one today,” she said, and Luka sighed.

“I know,” he muttered. “I watched the livestream. Even when it’s not bad, it still worries me. I hope I’ll get better but—” He kept talking, but Marinette wasn’t listening anymore. She had happened to glance down, and happen to see— 

“Luka, your shoes,” she blurted. 

Luka looked down at the red and black polka dot sneakers that had replaced his decorated high tops, and blushed deeply. “Um…” He coughed. 

“Luka,” Marinette teased, and elbowed his side. 

He couldn’t look at her. It was adorable, actually. “I guess I just never realized until recently how cool Ladybug is,” he said finally, and it was Marinette’s turn to blush. “Crosswalk’s open,” he said quickly, and practically dragged her into the street. 

Marinette started giggling, and she slid her hand down his arm to lock her fingers with his. “Hey, I was thinking. Do you want to see a movie this weekend? Assuming I don’t have any, uh. Exams.” 

Luka looked at her in surprise, and then grinned, his fingers tightening around hers. “I’d love that.” 

“Okay then,” Marinette said lightly, her face burning. It was her turn not to be able to look at him as she said, “It’s a date.” 


End file.
